Screening and identification of thermophilic uricase bacteria from the Mataumpana hot spring, Buton Regency, Southeast Sulawesi.

Uricase (urate oxidase EC 1.7.3.3) is a therapeutic enzyme, an oxidoreductase that acts as a specific catalyst for uric acid in the formation of allantoin, CO₂, and H₂O₂. This study aimed to screen and isolate bacteria producing uricase from Mata Umpana hot springs and determine the optimum fermentation time for uricase production. Screening is based on the uricolytic index of bacteria growing on a medium containing 0.2% uric acid, then identified morphologically and physiologically, and then uricase enzyme is produced. This study out of 57 isolates, and 50 of them had uricolytic activity after being incubated at 45°C for seven days, which have the highest Urcolytic Index (UI), UI=5, isolate W.IVS-7, identified from the morphological and physiological properties have similarities characterized by the type of bacteria Lactobacillus delbruscii. The optimum optical density (OD) of its bacteria 0.982 was not in line with the optimum activity in producing uricase enzymes. Activity crude uricase enzyme of the isolate W.IVS-7 was 0.6897 U/mL during the 24-hour fermentation time [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]